Pittsburgh Zoo Expert To Seek Gator In Reservoir

SLICKVILLE, Pa. (AP) – The reptile curator from the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium says he's going to rescue an alligator living in a western Pennsylvania reservoir.

Henry Kacpryzk (KAS'- per-zak) tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that won't be easy because the Beaver Run Reservoir has 25 miles of shoreline and is 15 feet deep. Still, he's hoping that warm weather forecast for the next week will draw the animal into the sun. If that happens, the curator may be able to track the reptile using drag marks on the shore.

The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County owns the reservoir about 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Officials wanted to let the five-foot-long alligator, which is likely a discarded pet, die when the weather turned colder. But a public outcry, including a Facebook page, caused officials to ask the zoo for help.